The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-19
HIGGINS AND HIS ESCAPE.
A PLEA FOR MERCY REMOVES
ALL PENALTIES.
Judge DuBose Refers In His Lecture
to "MysterIous and Corrupt
Ing Infiuence."

As was expected, William Higgins,
accused Of moukeying with the grand
jury, and thus with the Criminal
Court, was in court yesterday With "a
petition for mercy, and with success
The gentleman bad been arrested on a
bench warrant Friday, because, as the
warrant proceeds, he had endesvored
TO prevent the graud jury from 70.
turning an Indictment against Col.
John E. Randle. Justice p. NJ.
Winterr, as counsel for Higgins, pre-.
sented the petition for mercy, which
alleged, as extenuaticn, ignorance Of
the overpowerlng sacredness Of
grand jurors on the out
eide. Attorney General Peters
then stated to ths court some
thing about the indictment
agsinst Mr.. Randle. He represented
his employer 10 be innocent OF any in
tention to violate the law or defrsud
the Taxing District. After reading
the petition and hearing the Attorney
Generals statement the Court said:
1T is probable that Mr.. Higgins Is
not guiltier Of contempt Of court than
other parties have been. l heard Of
everything he did Just a. / hear Of
everything Of the sort. No attempt to
temper with the grand jury or any
officer OF this court can escape my
knowledge. have no system OF spies,
bat / hear OF oil comments and direct
or Indirect attacks on this court, and l
get my knowledge from reliable
sources. Mr.. Higgins has been guilty
OF contempt OF court indirectly, and
he deserves punishment for 1t. This
court assumes that he approached
members OF the grand jury In quiet
way and endesvored to II fiuence
them not 10 find an Indictment
sg,inst his 'bo.s.' This court
also assumes and without fear
Of either assumption being contra
dic,ed, that this man went to the At
torney General-not openly at his Of.
fee or on The street, bat clsndestinely
TO ibis residence At highland en-
deavortd 10 II huence him 10 save his
boss from indictment, not on account
OF the Innocence OF that b1es', but by
ar effort to exert mysterious and
corTupting II fluence on the officers OF
the law. II have DO idea that Higgins
could have had any influence with
any member OF the grand jury or the
Attorney General. but the sttemp, TO
interfere with their official functions
is an insult TO this court, the like OF
which will not be tolerated. / take
the statement Of Higgins that he has
erred through ignorance, how ever,
and will grant his petition for the re.
moval OF the sentence OF fine
and improvement; but / want 10 say
right here: II ever this thing OF try
ing 10 tamper with my grand jury
occurs sgsin, the man who DOES II
will be punished severely with fine
aud impris ,nment; II matters not who
be is OF what his station In life may
be, he shall 70 10 the workhouse. The
grand jury snail be free from oil out.
side pressure"
When the lecture was concluded,
III ggins thanked his honor for bis
leniency, and retired from court.
Speaking Of the affair to an APPxAI
reporter yesterday, Attorney General
Peters said he knew Higgins very
we'll, aud sometimes enjoyed CONVEX
sstions with him. On the occasion
Of his "clandes,inely and at night
visitation, Hipgins was passing hi
honGe, and accooted him with Gus
tomsry friendlinsss, then came in
He first IL quired II II would be proper
TO speak 10 tbs Attorney General on
such matters, end was assured that u
would be eminently comet AND
proper. From Gen. PeterA's STATE
ment OF the Wait, and the manner o
Its relating, there was nothing tina
could color a suspicion Of "mysterioul
and corrupting influences on the Off
; cers OF the law"